My birthday was this Friday, and one of my oldest and dearest friends treated me to a spa facial. (To clarify: by "oldest friend" I mean that we have been friends for over 20 years, not that she is chronologically old.)
The amazing woman that did the facial asked me about my skin care routine, and I described the years of potions and harsh chemicals and gnarly exfoliating scrubs. Very kindly, she offered a bit of insight. Perhaps I was trying too hard? She had a few suggestions, all gently pointing to the fact that working too hard can actually worsen the problem instead of solving it.
Perhaps this principle can be expanded upon. Things are a bit out-of-kilter these days - a new baby, graduation, huge elevation in social status following meteoric rise to the top of the academic heap. (Alright, I made up that last bit.) Throw in a dash of political uncertainty, a big scoop of stock market crash, and shake until well blended. Congratulations - we now have a tall glass of "What the hell do I do now?"
(those who aren't pregnant can mix in a preferred alcoholic beverage to take the edge off.)
My first instinct is to relieve this discord by problem solving. By working harder, planning more, getting a new calendar or a bankers box or something tidy, the future might become clear. I've even gotten out my feng shui books to see if perhaps we should move our bed to the southwest corner of the room. (Husby loves this crap, he really does. Isn't he lucky to be married to me?)
Perhaps there is another way to approach the situation. Perhaps more of the hard work, the same tools and skills that have gotten me this far, would actually be detrimental in this situation. I'm wondering if there is a different solution, a different strategy, to achieving peace in the face of turmoil. Perhaps struggling harder against turmoil to get to peace is actually counter productive.
If that is the case, how do we achieve "not struggling"? I'm guessing it isn't as easy as switching to a new face wash, but perhaps it is even more important than refined skin tone.
Of course, what the hell do I know about any of it? It is 12:30 and I don't have the sense God gave to a goat, or I would have gone to bed an hour ago.
2 comments:
You make a great point my friend. I was having a conversation yesterday with another friend who has been trying very hard for the past 8 months to get pregnant. Now that her insurance is no longer covering any fertility treatments she and her husband are going to give it a rest. I reminded her that sometimes it's when you stop trying so hard that things happen. I think we can all remember times in life when that has held true. You have the correct tools in place to achieve the future you want, now sit back and carefully watch for the opportunity to use them.
I am not pregnant (not that I know of anyway, although I have felt a slight glow that isn't usual)so I think I will add an alcoholic beverage.
In truth, I probably won't. I don't really drink that much any more. In highschool I was an incredible lush. And in college, well, even though I slowed down a bit I did become the source of booze to a big percentage of the residents in my dorm.
But the closer we get to election night, the more I feel the need to tip the bottle. Glug glug glug. Aaah!
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